Stage 9 – Haltwhistle to Alston – Monday 10th November 2008

Because it was so wet underfoot, we decided to stick to the South Tyne Trail, a well defined footpath on the route of the old railway, one stretch of which is a narrow gauge tourist route, open in summer and for Santa specials. It wasn’t so varied perhaps as some of the alternatives but there was so much wildlife that we had no regrets. In fact even this path became so boggy that we had to resort to the road at one point.

Lambley viaduct was an undoubted highlight, especially as the sun came out for the photographs and we saw our first treecreeper there. Slaggyford, where we stopped for lunch was picturesque  too (but no pub unfortunately so soup in the rain!

We were able to return to the railway for the final stretch into Alston, where the Cumberland Hotel was very welcoming but the bus company seems to go out of its way to avoid passengers.

Flora and Fauna: buzzard, treecreeper, redwing, bull finch, lots of chaffinches and I think, fieldfare (didn’t get a great view unfortunately) red squirrel; rabbits – just beyond Haltwhistle they seemed to be suffering from myxomotosis. I’ve just totted up our bird sightings with two legs to go and reckon that on the nine walks to date we’ve seen  at least 27 species of birds that we wouldn’t see in our garden, so perhaps 47 species in total. Not bad between August and November without going out of our way.

Transport: Our car to Haltwhistle; lift from kind schoolteachers from Alston to Hexham (We can’t stay away). Train back to Haltwhistle. Our car home. Phew!

Stage 8 – Haydon Bridge to Haltwhistle – Monday 3rd November 2008

Today didn’t begin as sunny as Saturday and didn’t get off to a great start. Our maps and guides didn’t alert us to the building of a new bypass across the start of the walk. We were met by assorted lorries, diggers and, fortunately, friendly men it hard hats. Somehow we managed to blag our way across the building site, through treacherous mud, to become the first people to walk on the new tarmac and rejoin the farm road we were meant to be on.

The highlight of this walk had to be the section in the Allenbanks nature reserve, where the sun came out in time for us to eat our lunch looking down over the river Allen while a party of long tailed tits entertained us.

Beltingham was a discovery – a very small but lovely village – just a few houses, an old church and a tiny green, more of a grass roundabout really. One of the yew trees in the churchyard is thought to be at least 900 years old.

We then climbed up through farmland, notable for its kneeling sheep (All pretty weird up here) and past the oddly named Unthank estate. I don’t know whether it was the gathering gloom and our tired minds as well as the name but in contrast to pretty Beltingham, it felt the sort of place Dickens would be inspired by.

Flora and Fauna:  heron, another goldcrest (blimey, we’re on a roll), long tailed tits, bullfinches loads of pheasants; cowslip in flower.

Transport: Our car to Haydon Bridge;  train to Hexham and another one back to Haydon Bridge (Don’t ask!). Car home (eventually!).

Stage7- Hexham to Haydon Bridge – Saturday 1st November 2008

A beautiful autumn day, bright sunshine, leaves changing colour; the first mile or two along the riverside path, lots of dog walkers and joggers about and we encountered the Salmon Trail sculptures again, but still the Bluetooth connection didn’t work.

The confluence of the North and South Tyne, known as Waters Meet, was a highlight. In looking for the kingfisher we’d been told about, we saw a dipper. Not a bad consolation prize. At the same time, we saw two late swallows and soon after, flitting about near some gardens a goldcrest. A few days later on Autumn Watch, we heard that there had been an influx of them this weekend on Easterly winds. 

Then a stretch on the road via the Railway Inn at Fourstones (definitely recommended for food) before climbing towards Haydon Bridge. The fields were really boggy but it was an excellent walk, part of which is designated the John Martin trail. We detoured to the now disused church where the painter was christened (I think). You’d have to know it was there as there is no sign outside.

Near Haydon Bridge too we saw what I expect will be the last canoeists of this trip.

Flora and Fauna: Dipper at Waters Meet where we narrowly missed a kingfisher, according to a luckier dog walker, goldcrest.

Transport: Our car to Hexham; bus from Haydon Bridge to Hexham. Our car home.

Stage 6 – Corbridge to Hexham – Monday 20th October 2008

We walked this short leg with our friend, Hilary. It seemed much shorter than even the short walk it was, about 4.5 miles, probably because we chatted throughout, losing all track of time. The first mile and a half was along the river bank, where we had close up views of a cormorant, fishing from a branch in the middle of the swollen river, and of a heron on the opposite bank. The route took us South past Trees Please where three or so years ago we bought the whips which have now grown into the eight feet or so high hedge we were pruning yesterday; across a  busy road along which a farmer was herding a large flock of sheep, within seconds causing a long tailback; and past Dilston Physic Garden, unfortunately closed for the winter; through rather muddy woodland and uphill, before we dropped back down into Hexham.

Lunch stop in the Queens Hall. And this evening we enjoyed some of Hilary’s cooking apples, baked. Lovely! The story of how one escaped and rolled behind the washing machine where it is still stuck along with the head of the brush with which attempts were made to retrieve it does not, you’ll be relieved to hear, remotely belong in this blog.

Flora and Fauna: cormorant, heron, bilberries.

Transport: Our car to Hexham where we picked up Hilary and drove to Corbridge; lift back into Corbridge from Hilary. Our car home.

Stage 5 – Stocksfield to Corbridge – Sunday 28th September 2008

We barely saw the river on this leg as most of the riverbank is inaccessible private land. Also the public footpath that does exist is apparently eroded and often impassable so we didn’t even try it after this summer of rain. Nevertheless the walk was very enjoyable: woodland parts which were particularly lovely in the early autumn sunshine; great panoramic views from Prospects Hill and an illuminating route through the more than affluent commuter belt of Riding Mill.

We saw the river only in the distance until we reached Corbridge where the view from the bridge compensated.

Transport: Car to Stocksfield station. Train from Corbridge to Scocksfield. Car home.

Stage 4 – Newburn to Stocksfield and Bywell – Sunday 30th August 2008

This stage didn’t start too well. We reached the river by Newburn Rowing Club just in time to see electricity company workers erect a barrier to create a wide no-go area around a pylon, diverting us away from the river. The alternative route took us past the Big Lamp brewery and Keelman pub. The Big Lamp is the North East’s oldest micro brewery so it looked to be worth a stop but it was early in the day so we pressed on to a nearby ice cream van, stopping only to read about the Battle of Newburn which, according to the panels, took place on this very day in 1640. The Scots beat the English and marched victorious to Newcastle.

This part of the riverside is well used by cyclists, picnickers and families visiting a children’s playground but it feels more and more rural, the further you go. We took photos of the old ferry landing, with the ferryman’s house still standing across the river, somehow missed the tidestone which shows where the river ceases to be tidal,  passed George Stephenson’s birthplace and stopped at a tea room  in Wylam, where the proprietor is also walking the Tyne and pulled out Jonas’ book to show us the sections he’s done. He also showed us a short cut to the old bridge.

We’d walked and cycled the next bit several times but it’s lovely. Soon though we reached a part we didn’t know, although from the bridges at Ovingham / Prudhoe the path left the river for quite a while. We crossed the railway (no bridge) and walked through old woodland. A short diversion took us close to Cherryburn, Thomas Bewick’s birhplace (National Trust) which we enjoyed. Apart form being interesting, it had a lovely atmosphere and many people were visting just to enjoy the gardens and animals – and there was cake.

From there, the path crossed farmland – fields of sheep and then corn, which was being harvested as we walked. The weather, always warm, got progressively sunnier and in Stocksfield we stopped to watch a couple of overs of crickets in the evening light, a quintessentially English scene.

Although we could have ended the walk here and would have thoroughly enjoyed the walk had we done so, the best was still to come. We wanted to visit Bywell, which we’d heard about, seen paintings of but never visited.  We walked along the road to Bywell Bridge. By now the sun was really shining and reflecting off the river. I suggested it might be a good place to see a grey wagtail and Janet immediately found one. She has an uncanny ability to do this sort of thing, once producing a bee-eater to order in France. We carried on to the two Saxon churches. Caroline’s father used to be vicar of St Andrew’s. It’s no longer in use but looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. What a gem. Then there was the green woodpecker in the churchyard – and on the way back, after watching some canoeists from the bridge, I suggested that Janet might like to find a dipper – and she did! What a day!

 Flora and Fauna Chaffinches, gold finches and blue tits along the first stretch; two herons, a large flock of lapwings, swallows and rooks (or crows) galore and a goosander near Wylam; at Bywell a grey waytail and, it gets better, a dipper and a green woodpecker. Also more butterflies than we’ve seen all summer, including peacocks and red admirals on a buddleia and a wall brown basking by the path. Rabbits everywhere.

Transport A 22 bus from Shields Road to Newburn and a 602 from Stocksfield to Eldon Square – perfect dropping off point for a meal at Wagamama’s, where we bumped into Pete and Sarah, before catching the number 1 home.

Stage 3 – St Peter’s Basin to Newburn – Monday 25th August 2008

 This stage was timed to coincide with Picnopolis on Baltic Square outside the Sage Gatehead. We wondered to what extent this arts initiative had captured local imagination.

Before that though, we walked our local stretch of the Tyne around the Ouseburn. However, it wasn’t until today that we learnt about the plans for the Ouseburn Barrage which will raise the level of the Ouseburn, here where it meets the Tyne, making the historic Ouseburn Valley, already well worth a visit, a much more attractive leisure facility. Work should be completed in 2009.

Newcastle Quayside was surprisingly quiet, despite being the current site of a mobile art exhibition, the Tyne Salmon Trail, which celebrates the Tyne’s status as England’s foremost salmon river. The promised Bluetooth message to our phones didn’t arrive though. Has anyone received one?

Across the Millenium Bridge and past the picnickers for a refreshment break at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. To be honest, the Picnopolis grand finale was a bit of a damp squib. There were people sitting around on these little aeroplane shaped individiual picnic sites but they looked self conscious and only a few had much food that we could see. There was a band and a forlorn ice cream salesman. We pressed on, popping into the Tourist Information Office in the Guildhall. Here we bought Jonas’s guide to the North Tyne. This is becoming addictive.

The riverside path continues all the way past Scotswood with lots of panels describing the areas industrial history – Armstrong’s factory etc. Then you come off the river for a while, past a panel about the Blaydon Races, and follow the Hadriansway cycle route towards Newburn via the riverside park. It begins to feel much more rural here.

Not much traffic on the river today though. We saw a police boat, a couple of jet skiers and a water skier.

Flora and Fauna Lots of gulls – keep meaning to learn how to identify them with certainty but blackheaded and lesser blackbacked, I think; quite alot of lapwings; several cormorants; a curlew; redshank; dunlin; a heron; a rat.

Transport Walked to St Peter’s Basin and were delighted and surprised to discover the number 22 bus goes from Newburn to Wallsend via Shields Road ( and all for £2). Walked from there.

Stage 2 – Hadrian Road to St Peter’s Basin – Tuesday 19th August 2008

Against our better judgement, we started Stage 2 around 5.00pm on what had been an ominously showery day. The short walk from Hadrian Road to Segedunum was along the main road but there we joined Hadrian’s Cycleway, a traffic free path with wildflowers on both sides. There are remains of the Roman wall next to the track. True, it was a little way from the river but it was slightly elevated  with good views from time to time. There were plenty of cyclists.

After a couple of miles the path split and we chose the left hand fork, rightly guessing that it would lead to the riverside walk we knew existed. Then the rains came. Briefly there was sunshine with the showers, and even a rainbow, but then the skies darkened and the rain got heavier and heavier and…

Nevertheless, the beauty of the path, through Walker, was a revelation. The Tyne is wide at this point and there was no traffic on the river tonight, just the occasional fisherman on the bank. The Gateshead side is predominantly green too so, despite being just 3 or 4 miles from Newcastle city centre, it feels almost rural. However, the freguent signs warning that the shore was contaminated with tar reminded us that it hadn’t always been like this.

St Peter’s Basin was a big surpise – a mini Monaco! Executive housing, lots of boats in the marina, some quite large. Locally it’s said that it’s a place where the area’s more successful bad lads have set up home and a wag had changed the ‘p’ in Ropery Lane to ’bb’ and crossed the initial ‘C’ off Chandlers’ Quay.

As the rain intensified, the bistro pub is where we decided to end stage 2 and dry out.

Flora and Fauna Heard plenty of birds but saw only a couple of cormorants through rain-spattered specs. All sorts of interesting wildflowers along the cycleway, presumably seeded by the council, included chicory and marjoram. Mainly native planting alongside the riverside walk.

Transport at both ends Metro from Walkergate to Hadrian Road; the Q2 electric bus from St Peter’s Basin to Haymarket and then, to lessen the chances of pnuemonia, a cab home. Walk to a hot shower.

Stage 1 – Tynemouth Pier to Hadrian Road – Saturday 16th August 2008

The walk starts at the end of Tynemouth pier at the mouth of the Tyne.

It was a sunny Saturday and first impressions were of how well-used this part of the river is for leisure: anglers, sailors, in-line skaters and joggers as well as walkers. We were also struck by how cosmopolitan Tynemouth was: a Japanese family was picnicing, we heard several foreign languages and even more non-local accents.

The fish quay was especially lively. There are still signs of the industry which made North Shields famous: a wide choice of places to buy wet fish and seafood and an even greater choice of places to eat chips. We succumbed.

We crossed the Tyne on the busy pedestrian ferry. From the ferry landing we watched two huge container ships leave the river: one assisted by two tugs, confirmation that the Tyne is still very much a working river.

Where the River Don meets the Tyne was a highlight. Lots of tranquil greenery and the ancient church of Saint Paul and the monastery where St Bede lived. We saved Bede’s World for another day but had yet more refreshments in the old Jarrow Hall where a local chap told us that Turner had painted a picture, now in Washington DC, of this part of the river. It’s Keelmen Heaving Coals by Moonlight. It was painted in 1835 for a Mancunian, Henry McConnel,  and may have been based on an earlier work Shields on the River Tyne of 1823. Also painted in 1823 was Newcastle on Tyne. There is mention on the internet of a short film Turner on the Tyne, a collaboration the National Gallery of Art, Washington and New York filmmaker, Grahame Weinbren.

We crossed back via the tiled pedestrian tunnel, opened in 1951, which incorporated the longest wooden escalators in the world. We would have spent longer here had we not offered to escort two young boys on bikes through to the other side. They had been frightened by some teenagers and were considering swimming across to get back home.

The final memorable part of this first leg of our journey was Willington Gut where lots of leisure boat owners were pottering about in the evening sunshine.  We wondered where the waggonway from here ended up but continued to Hadrian Park Metro. We reckon we had walked about 10 miles including the walks to and from the walk. It was fascinating and hugely enjoyable. Can’t wait for the second leg…

 Fauna and Flora

Birdlife on this stretch included turnstones, cormorants, oystercatchers and a family of linnets, as well as various kinds of gull. Some of the blackheaded gulls were going into winter plumage. The number of bees on the pier surprised us. We were also struck by the pear and apple trees on the headland, maybe the remains of a garden? Also notable was the sea buckthorn along the path towards North Shields.

Transport at both ends

We have decided not to follow Jonas slavishly. We want to use public transport as much as possible so that we can do linear walks. On this occasion, the easiest, if not quickest, option was the bus from Heaton to Tynemouth. We caught the metro from Hadrian Road to Chilli Road and walked from there.

Deciding to walk the Tyne

The inspiration to walk the length of the Tyne came at an exhibition of Richard Long’s work in Edinburgh in August 2007. A number of the works on display referred to long distance walks including river walks and Pauline C told us that she’d just finished walking the Thames with the local Ramblers’ Association.

It wasn’t until almost a year later though that we came upon J B Jonas’s book “Walking the Tyne: twenty-five walks from mouth to source”. The following Saturday relatively fine weather was forecast in an otherwise dire summer and we were off.